I. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a new and improved insect/mosquito killing system. More particularly, my invention relates to a portable insect killing system that attracts insects (preferably mosquitoes) to an electrified killing zone by emulating human, animal or fowl breathing, to simulate an infrared signature of it. Known prior art may be found in U.S. Class 43, subclasses 112, 113 and 139.
II. Description of the Prior Art
Within the recent past the use of mosquito killing devices has become well known in the prior art. Known insect or mosquito attracting and killing devices typically use light for attracting target insects. Target insects drawn towards the apparatus contact an electrocution grid for subsequent eradication. By way of example, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,182,069, 4,523,404 and 5,301,458 as well as U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,020,270, 3,319,374, 3,041,773, 4,454,677 and 4,852,296 all employ light for attracting insects towards an electrocution grid.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,468 issued to Cheshire, Jr. discloses an insect tracking and capturing apparatus having a light source to attract insects and a fan to create an air current for capturing the insects in the air current created and delivering the insects to a electrified grid for electrocution.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,414 issued to Mewissen discloses a device for electrocuting insects having a housing with a low pressure, mercury vapor discharge light therein. An electrically connected ballast for illuminating the mercury vapor lamp also generates voltage for electrifying the insect eradication grid.
Other interesting devices of general relevance include U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,064 issued to Nolen. It discloses a generally cylindrical device having a pressurized canister and a cam mechanism for periodically discharging the contents of the canister to attract insects for electrocution. U.S. Pat. No. 4,696,126 issued to Grothaus, et al., shows a device that uses an electric grid to temporarily shock flying insects and trap them on a sticky paper.
Some known devices employ different attractants. U.S. Pat. No. 4,891,904 issued to Tabita discloses a heating device for electrocuting mosquitoes that has a passive heating assembly disposed within an interior chamber. U.S. Pat. No. 5,241,779 issued to Lee discloses an apparatus for collecting and killing insects having a passive heat source, a sweet liquid attractant, and a killing grid for electrocuting crawling insects.
Most of the above referenced devices use complicated designs and/or structures. As a result, these prior art devices are often plagued by operational and maintenance difficulties as a result of the harsh environmental conditions in which they must operate. In particular, hungry human-biting mosquitoes commonly infest moderate and warm climates with relatively high humidities. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, such climates readily cultivate equipment failure because of degradation and/or deterioration.
Further, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art that has been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives, the indiscriminate attraction and subsequent eradication of diverse insects often contribute to eventual apparatus failure. Since the target insects (i.e., mosquitoes) are generally small insects with low overall body masses, conventional systems are designed to effectively disintegrate only small insects. Further, most known prior art devices constantly power the electrocution grid whenever they are operating. As a result, the power to the electrocution grid is generally restricted to minimize electricity usage to conserve operating costs.
However, the attractants (i.e., generally light emitting bulbs) used by most devices attract countless varieties of flying insects, not just mosquitoes. The attraction of larger insects (i.e., June bugs, etc.) often, at least temporarily, overloads the electrocution grid. Further, the remains of larger insects are not properly disintegrated since they are larger than the remains of smaller mosquitoes. These undisintegrated remains often clog the electrocution grid, causing short circuits and other failures. Thus, it is undesirable to attract non-target insects.
A desirable mosquito killing device should primarily attract mosquitoes and similarly sized insects to minimize maintenance and operational difficulties. A particularly ideal device would avoid attracting or injuring beneficial insects as well.
In this respect, the mosquito killing system according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an improved apparatus for selectively exterminating target insects, namely mosquitoes. In other words, the portable system primarily attracts only mosquitoes.